Source: Daily_Mail
Zola power: Gianfranco's a happy Hammer despite off-field problems
Zola power: the West Ham manager is determined to be a success at Upton Park
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The spectre of the Carlos Tevez affair also continues to cast a shadow over the Boleyn Ground.Yet the 42-year-old, whose side host Fulham tomorrow, insists he is up for the challenges ahead.
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"I want this fight, I am ambitious and I want to become better. That is why I took this job," he said."I was in Sardinia spending my time in 20 degrees of sunshine and playing golf, I could have stayed there. I had no interest in the money, I did not need it."I came here because every day I want to become a better person and a better manager."I love the task that I have, I know that it is difficult, I have had many problems, but I am still here smiling, which is the most important thing, although maybe I am losing some hair, but I can cope with that."Zola insists he has been given assurances any off-field issues will not impact on team affairs."There has been a lot of talk about this club and the [financial] situation, having problems and going into administration, but I have a great relationship with CEO, Scott Duxbury, and [technical director] Gianluca Nani," he said."We are very committed to building something important at the club. They always assure me the club is fine and I trust them totally."Zola added: "When you have such good professionals as I have here, you do not worry about it. You know that you are going to get the best out of them. I am very proud to be the manager and the players won't let me or the club down."
Unsettled: striker Craig Bellamy
The Hammers boss, though, happily admits he could do without all the disturbance which the January sales bring."The whole transfer window is nonsense," Zola said. "It is not about dealing with players you have got and getting the best out of them. If I have lots of money then I can solve my problems by buying lots of players."I would cancel the window and push managers to work with what they have got."On the pitch, the Hammers have slowly found some form, with an unbeaten run of four matches, including two Barclays Premier League wins, since Boxing Day.However, given how close the table is from the Hammers in 10th and the bottom three, Zola knows there is an opportunity to now put some daylight between themselves and danger."Fulham are a very organised side, and will not concede much, but we are in a good spell," he said."The team had never let me down - even when we were losing games, we were playing quite well. But in the past few weeks, they have added results to it, which is the most pleasing thing for a manager."Zola added: "We now have two home games and that is a great opportunity to put some distance between us and the bottom end, to try to get a little taste of the top half."It is all in our hands now, which is the best thing to have."
More...
Bellamy on strike: Walk-out coincides with Spurs'£12m move
Bellamy a step closer to Upton Park exit door after storming out of training at West Ham
WEST HAM NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB
